COCKER S MANUAL. 9 1 



the Rainbow, I brought ten English-bred cocks from Sydney to Ma- 

 lacca, and fought ten battles with a Chinese merchant who had 

 defeated all the Malays. We won every battle, and I would go two 

 hundred miles to see a main between the Cheshire Piles and the Lan- 

 cashire black-breasted Reds, if there was no legal prohibition. Any 

 amusement which creates alliances and augments friendly acquaintance 

 adds to the strength of the empire, for united we stand ; and the 

 monotony of human life is relieved by every salutary diversion. 



DESCRIPTION OF GAMES. 



Owing to the numerous breeds, strains and crosses of the Game 

 Fowl it would be quite impossible to notice all of them, therefore if we 

 fail to mention any well known variety we would not be understood 

 as considering them unworthy of notice. 



EARL DERBYS. 



This breed of games, for many years noted in Eilgland for their 

 courage and almost universal success in battle, is esteemed by all 

 cockers and fanciers throughout the land. It is generally understood 

 that by skillful breeding and crossing this breed was kept in all its 

 purity for over a hundred years. Many stories are written concerning 

 their history, and many disputes concerning their importation to this 

 country. Upon this subject we have the following, written by one, of 

 the oldest and most reliable cockers in England, who has fought many 

 battles against the Derby fowl, and he says: "Many believe that 

 Derby's fowls were the most successful fighters in England. Although 

 he was the most extensive breeder, walking annually from three to 

 five thousand cocks, he could from this number select many good ones, 

 biit many breeders who never bred so largely but bred more good 

 ones were equally successful in their mains. But from so many it is 

 an easy matter to pick mains of cocks faultless in shape and perfect in 

 condition. His chief success was mostly to be found in numbers 

 rather than in excellence, as for years Potter had a pick of three thou- 

 sand two-year-old cocks, and even in that great choice of the Earl's 



